The frigid temperatures this week have kept all of our furnaces running harder than normal, which is a troubling proposition for those who struggle to pay their energy bills every month.
US Senator Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) is reminding everyone that help to pay heating, gas, electric, or some other energy related utility bill is available through the State and Federal governments.
Through the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program, payments for energy bills are sent directly to a household’s energy company (such as Xcel), or to a provider of fuel like propane, fuel oil or wood. Senator Smith said initial benefits average $500 annually per household and can be up to $1,400. The program is federally funded and administered by the Department of Commerce, which works with local service providers throughout the state.
More people are eligible for the program than would be commonly believed. Last year, bi-partisan legislation was passed allocating more money to the program, thereby expanding its eligibility standards. Senator Smith said a family of four with a gross household income of $60,000 dollars could be eligible for assistance. However, more money does little if people do not know about the available help, and the Senator said she is trying to promote awareness so more people will know to apply.
Smith said the direct payments to an energy company on a qualified program participant’s behalf is just one of the ways the program works. The program also offers emergency repair funding, which, for some people, can mean the difference between keeping a home, or losing it.
“A man told me he had lived in his home for 30 years. He was living on a fixed income with a disability and suddenly his furnace went out. There was no way that he could afford to repair his furnace. But thanks to Energy Assistance, he was able to get help with that and that allowed him to stay in his home. So, that’s an example of how this can be so helpful.”
Senator Smith said there should be no shame in asking for help either, pointing out the program in 2024 will help more than 100,000 Minnesotans.
Those interested in learning more about the energy assistance program should visit energyhelp.us, or simply Google Minnesota Energy Assistance.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with United States Senator Tina Smith can be heard here
Elliott discusses substance abuse deflection program
Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott gave a presentation to the City Council on Tuesday night, along with Rice County Behavioral Health Services Unit Supervisor Dante Hummel-Langerfeld, to give an update on the Police Assisted Recovery and Diversion, or PARD, program.
In October of 2022, Rice County received a grant from the United States Justice Department to implement a plan that would allow law enforcement officers the ability to keep a person dealing with substance use disorder from going to jail and instead receive some help. Elliott said the county law enforcement agencies took a program that had been developed in Seattle and adapted it for local needs.
“The way that looks is one of our officers will go out on a call. Maybe they have somebody that is a suspect in a theft call. They make contact with the person and through that contact they determine that maybe they’re under the influence at that moment, or maybe it’s just apparent that they have substance use disorder. They can then deflect that person into a treatment program.”
The program is working well. According to Hummel-Langerfeld, it has both reduced county incarceration costs and reinvested those savings into real and effective treatment for community members who might otherwise languish in the criminal justice system, never really getting the help that they need. Hummel-Langerfeld and Elliott both stressed that this is a voluntary program, and nobody goes into treatment unless they decide to go. But in the program’s ten-month existence, of the 19 referrals made by police officers and county deputies, 15 people have accepted the help.
Elliott said the program is working because of the resources the county already has in place with Community Based Coordinators. The CBCs are social workers embedded with each county law enforcement agency who are trained to help people in mental health crisis or dealing with addiction, and they each have a wealth of knowledge about the resources available. Elliott said the CBCs have been welcome additions to the Rice County Law Enforcement community.
“For years, the police have stepped up because there’s been no 24-hour mental health response available for folks. We’ve stepped into that void, and we’ve done the work there, but it’s not really work that we’re trying to take over even wanted to wanted to take on. It’s just someone needed to fill that void and this is working really well.”
While the program has been successful, the grant funding is scheduled to run out in late 2025. Elliott said he is hopeful the State government, or even the Federal Government, will recognize the success of this program and allocate more funding to make this a permanent program.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott can be heard here
One more day to voice opinions on Highway 246
Tomorrow is the final day for the public to make comments regarding possible improvements to Trunk Highway 246.
As the city continues to prioritize safer roads for all modes of transportation, a study of Highway 246 has been underway to look at improvements. The city is using the study to evaluate the road’s condition, understand what would need to be done to bring the road up to the city’s standards, and to create conceptual plans for improvements that could be made.
Opinions and feedback are being requested from members of the general public about what they would like to see, and the city has created an interactive website with three concepts for people to view, evaluate and make comments.
As of right now, the State of Minnesota owns and controls the road. In order for any of these plans to be implemented, the state would have to turn the road over to the city, which is an idea that has been in discussion for some time.
The conceptual ideas can be viewed, and comments can be given, on the City of Northfield website at northfieldmn.gov through tomorrow. Project engineers are tentatively scheduled to present the final recommendations to the Northfield City Council on February 6.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
